Chapter 20

It was Billy that gave everything away ... and the Highway Patrol car out front. A body at the house? "Billy? Inside or outside?"

The cop ... although he was in plain clothes and had no badge displayed ... glared at Bill, shook his head and tried to grab her by the arm.

Remember the last time someone grabbed Grace by the arm? The coach? What happened to the coach? Yeah ... Déjà vu all over again... (and Yogi wouldn't say that for years.)

This time she screamed, "Kidnapper!" first, and, "Rape!" second. Covering her bases ... like.

The alleged kidnapper rapist went for his gun but Jean had him covered. She would have loved to say, "Go ahead, make my day." But Dirty Harry was years in the future, and that line hadn't been written yet.

Instead, she said, "When your hand comes out from under your jacket it had better have a badge in it or you're a dead man. Think about that ... no matter what happens to me ... you'll be dead. Badge or bullet? This little fourteen year old girl just claimed 'Rape.' I'll get away with it. In fact..." She thumbed back the hammer.

The gun was a Smith & Wesson K-38 Combat Masterpiece Revolver Model 15 in .38 special; a nicer gun than he carried. It looked very used.

"Hold it ... hold it ... I'm a police officer."

"So you say ... badge or bullet?"

This situation gave him, 'furiously to think, ' as the saying goes. She held the Smith like she knew what she was doing. The hammer was back ... her finger had light pressure on the trigger ... she wasn't shaking ... the hole in the end of the barrel looked big enough to walk in standing upright. 'Fuck ... she's aiming at my eye.'

"If you need any further inspiration, I hold a Bronze Star, an Army Combat Medical medal, a Purple Heart and I shoot expert with the Guard. Mobile Army Surgical Hospital, Korea, 1950 to the cease fire. Blood doesn't bother me one little bit. Don't even think I won't do it."

His hand came out empty.

"Where is your badge?"

"In my breast pocket ... Can I get it?"

"I don't know ... can you?"

"I can if you say so." This was not going well ... not at all. First ... there wasn't hide nor hair of the rest of the family. It was only by asking the gawkers that he learned about Grace and her babysitting job. Come to think it ... it was that snitch Billy who told him where to find her.

Oh so carefully ... he reached in his pocket ... oh so gingerly he pinched his badge between two fingers ... oh so slowly ... he slid it out and displayed it.

If he thought she was going to fold he had another think coming. The Smith never wavered ... not a smidge.

She looked at him over her sights and said, "Grace ... get the badge ... call Lansing and ask for Commander Allen. I'll take it from there."

So ... Grace ... staying out of the way as best she could ... took the badge and leather folder it was in ... backed away and headed for the living room phone. While she was doing that, Jean started a conversation with the man of the badge.

"You could have picked up that badge from a box of Cheerios ... three boxtops and a buck ... but you passed the first test ... you didn't try and grab the girl. Just sit there and I'll have Carol get you a couple of aspirin and some water. Once we find out for sure, I'll put your dislocated shoulder back in place ... The adrenalin is coming off now ... that has got to hurt."

"Oh shit ... Oh God. Once this is settled we'll have to discuss charges against you for assaulting a police officer." It was hard to understand what he was saying because most of it was through clenched teeth.

"I doubt that ... If you'd identified yourself properly before you made your grab ... we wouldn't be in this situation...

"Grace ... how we doing?"

"I've got the head office ... other than that ... I need to change my panties." Grace said, "I never got a chance to think ... I just reacted."

"I'd say you did well ... If you'd have let his hand go before he hit, he'd still have both arms ... and probably been dead. I recognized the pop first thing. I knew he was hurt. Nursing, I guess.

"Before you go change your panties ... wait ... your house is rubble ... panties?"

Carol came in carrying a tray with water and two aspirin. She set the objects just within reach of the man and backed away. He took a slug of water, the two aspirin and swallowed ... another gulp of water and he set the glass on the tray.

Carol looked to take the tray but he asked her to leave it ... dehydration ... shock.

"Carol, can I borrow a pair of panties? ... He scared the pee out of me.

"Wait a sec..." She turned to the phone, "Commander Allen? Jean Fromm needs to talk to you."

"Push the speakerphone button, Grace. Commander Allen?"

"Yes ... this is Commander Allen."

"Trauma Nurse Jean Fromm from the MASH."

"I remember you, Lieutenant. Did you heal up ok?"

"Good to hear your voice, Lieutenant Allen. Yes ... just fine."

"What can I do to help the woman who saved my life?"

"I have a situation here. Badge 667 ... would you describe him?"

"Six foot one, he has a dimple in his chin, last name is Koenig. He's a Senator's son, otherwise he wouldn't be a cop. What did he do this time?"

"Grabbed my 14 year old niece, Grace Austin, without identifying himself. She dislocated his shoulder. He's probably in major trouble ... She screamed Kidnapping and Rape before she defended herself. Then he went for his gun."

Allen started laughing ... when he stopped he said, "So he's sitting in a corner and you have your Smith on him."

"Got it in one."

"Well don't kill him ... but ... a wound or two wouldn't hurt."

Officer Koenig spluttered.